What if Andy Burnham had become Labour leader in 2015? June 24, 2026 On his third try, Andy Burnham looks all but certain to become Labour leader. But what if he had taken the reins of the party eleven years earlier? Matt Kenyon imagines an alternative timeline… 2015 It’s a world that looks a lot like our own. There’s just one, seemingly minor, difference: A cluster of well-meaning [...]
Has Brexit been a success? It’s too early to tell June 24, 2026 Ten years ago today the country woke to the news that the UK had voted to leave the European Union. Campaigners for Remain were horrified, pro-Brexit activists were jubilant, markets were panicked and in Westminster the Prime Minister, David Cameron, resigned. The magnitude of the Leave campaign’s victory – of their achievement – was sinking [...]
Badenoch sets sights on battle with the Bank June 24, 2026 The City is in the mood for a regulatory bonfire and Kemi Badenoch hopes to be the one to light the flame. In this week’s column, Samuel Norman looks at the roadblocks she may face on her pursuit. “Don’t forget about Andrew Bailey.” That was the parting shot I got from a former Bank of [...]
A decade after Brexit, what does the City want next? June 24, 2026 The 46th floor of the iconic One Canada Square building was once home to the European Banking Authority. Towering over a sea of skyscraper headquarters adorned with the biggest names in finance, the watchdog’s office was both a nod to its regulatory might, turbocharged by the fallout from the 2008 crash, as well as to [...]
Reeves’ new tax charge on cash ISAs faces fierce industry backlash June 23, 2026 The Treasury has revealed plans for the UK’s new ISA regime, which will see it tax interest on cash held in stocks and shares ISAs at 22 per cent, prompting fierce backlash from industry figures, who argue that the decision is “riddled with unintended consequences”. HMRC updated the market on three rules that will create [...]
Former Bank of England rate-setter to become next OBR chair June 23, 2026 A former rate-setter at the Bank of England and member of City AM’s Shadow Monetary Policy Committee is set to become the chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility, the fiscal watchdog which has come under pressure from MPs and inadvertently leaked last year’s Budget. Jonathan Haskel, professor of economics at Imperial College London, will [...]
Starmer to give Burnham access to government June 23, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer is set to hand Andy Burnham access to the civil service “as soon as possible”. After announcing his resignation, Starmer is preparing for a transition in government over the next four weeks. A government spokesperson confirmed that Burnham and other prospective Prime Ministers would be able to engage with senior civil servants [...]
Warning lights: UK services suffer worst shock since January 2023 June 23, 2026 Business activity across the UK economy is at a 14-month low, research has suggested, as growth has taken a toll from Labour’s political woes and the impact of the continued trade disruption. The initial estimate for S&P Global’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) dropped to a score of 49.4 in June, falling further below the neutral [...]
Brexit 10 years on: Business does not want a referendum rerun, says CBI chief June 23, 2026 British businesses are focused on the future and do not want a rerun of the Brexit referendum, the leader of the UK’s largest business lobby group has warned. Speaking to the FT, CBI director-general Rain Newton-Smith, on the tenth anniversary of the referendum, stated that despite the economic pain of leaving the EU, businesses don’t [...]
Burnham to lay out economic plan, but markets fear Miliband as Chancellor June 23, 2026 With more than three weeks to go before he can formally clinch the keys to 10 Downing Street, leadership challenger Andy Burnham is planning to make a major speech on the economy next week. It’s part of an effort to reassure the bond markets – to which he once said we shouldn’t be “in hock” [...]